Green Square Library and Plaza

Work is now underway for the Green Square Library and Plaza which will form the heart of the Green Square Town Centre. The City has appointed engineering and construction firm John Holland to deliver the Stage 2 construction works. The early works were completed by Ford Civil.

The design, by Stewart Hollenstein with Colin Stewart Architects, features an innovative below ground vision and is described by the architects as a "community living room."

We will provide regular construction updates in the fortnightly newsletters for the Green Square Town Centre - North. You can also attend our Construction Liaison Group for this project. For construction enquiries, contact our community relations team at greensquare@elton.com.au.

The development application for the Green Square Library & Plaza was approved in February 2015 following more than 12 months of community consultation and design refinement. Read more about the winning design and see images in the library and details on the design competition are available on the City of Sydney website.

Work is now underway for the Green Square Library and Plaza which will form the heart of the Green Square Town Centre. The City has appointed engineering and construction firm John Holland to deliver the Stage 2 construction works. The early works were completed by Ford Civil.

The design, by Stewart Hollenstein with Colin Stewart Architects, features an innovative below ground vision and is described by the architects as a "community living room."

We will provide regular construction updates in the fortnightly newsletters for the Green Square Town Centre - North. You can also attend our Construction Liaison Group for this project. For construction enquiries, contact our community relations team at greensquare@elton.com.au.

The development application for the Green Square Library & Plaza was approved in February 2015 following more than 12 months of community consultation and design refinement. Read more about the winning design and see images in the library and details on the design competition are available on the City of Sydney website.

Construction will soon start on the Green Square library and plaza at 355 Botany Road, Zetland. Our engineering contractors, John Holland, will carry out the main works from early September to mid-2018.

Work includes installing:

•concrete and steel structures and a glass façade;

•major plant and services equipment;

•furniture and library fitout and finishes;

•paving and landscaping; and

•connections to mains sewer, water, power and stormwater.

Access to the site is from Botany Road. We will work to minimise disruptions to traffic and pedestrians near the entrance. A site map is on the back of this letter.

Construction will soon start on the Green Square library and plaza at 355 Botany Road, Zetland. Our engineering contractors, John Holland, will carry out the main works from early September to mid-2018.

Work includes installing:

•concrete and steel structures and a glass façade;

•major plant and services equipment;

•furniture and library fitout and finishes;

•paving and landscaping; and

•connections to mains sewer, water, power and stormwater.

Access to the site is from Botany Road. We will work to minimise disruptions to traffic and pedestrians near the entrance. A site map is on the back of this letter.

Work will take place from 7.30am to 5.30pm on Monday to Friday and 7.30am to 3.30pm on Saturdays. No work is permitted on Sundays and public holidays.

About the library and plaza project

The design by Stewart Hollenstein in association with Colin Stewart Architects features a modern civic plaza and an underground library with an open-air garden and amphitheatre. A seven storey glass tower above the plaza will include a community room, reading room, music recital room and technology suite.

Excavation and foundation works were recently completed by Ford Civil Contracting.

More information

We will provide fortnightly updates on the construction program for Green Square Town Centre – North and at Construction Liaison Group meetings.

For construction enquiries, or to attend our next meeting, please call our community relations team on 1800 261 610 or email greensquare@elton.com.au

For more information call Lise Morgan, Project Manager, City of Sydney on 02 9265 9333 or email lmorgan@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au. You can also read more at greensquaresydney.com.

Thank you for your patience while we work on your new library and plaza.

Work is progressing on the early works for the new Green Square Library and Plaza. Ford Civil Contracting on behalf of the City of Sydney are busy carrying out excavation and remediation works due for completion early next year.

Pictured below is the site prior to major excavation.

If you have any questions or concerns about the project please contact Stephanie McGuinness at stephanie.mcguinness@fordcivil.com.au or on 0421 797 658 and stay tuned to Sydney Your Say for more updates.

Work is progressing on the early works for the new Green Square Library and Plaza. Ford Civil Contracting on behalf of the City of Sydney are busy carrying out excavation and remediation works due for completion early next year.

Pictured below is the site prior to major excavation.

If you have any questions or concerns about the project please contact Stephanie McGuinness at stephanie.mcguinness@fordcivil.com.au or on 0421 797 658 and stay tuned to Sydney Your Say for more updates.

Work will soon start on the City’s new Green Square Library and Plaza at 355 Botany Road, Zetland. This first stage of work is expected to take about six months to complete.

The works include excavating, constructing a concrete basement wall, and removing and compacting soil. The City's contractor, Ford Civil Contracting, will minimise any disruptions to traffic flow and pedestrian access.

Work will take place from 7.30am to 5.30pm on Monday to Friday and 7.30am to3.30pm on Saturdays. No work is permitted on Sundays and public holidays.

Work will soon start on the City’s new Green Square Library and Plaza at 355 Botany Road, Zetland. This first stage of work is expected to take about six months to complete.

The works include excavating, constructing a concrete basement wall, and removing and compacting soil. The City's contractor, Ford Civil Contracting, will minimise any disruptions to traffic flow and pedestrian access.

Work will take place from 7.30am to 5.30pm on Monday to Friday and 7.30am to3.30pm on Saturdays. No work is permitted on Sundays and public holidays.

About the design

The Green Square Library is a unique building beneath a plaza, and the winning entry in an international design competition. It includes a glazed triangular entry with a café and a seven-storey tower. The design includes an amphitheatre, a storytelling garden, water-play zone and open spaces for festivals.

An innovative below ground vision has been chosen by the City of Sydney as the winner of the international design competition for the new Green Square Library and plaza.

A jury of leading Australian and international architects unanimously chose the entry from Stewart Hollenstein with Colin Stewart Architects as the winner praising it as “by far the most interesting and stimulating” of more than 160 received.

Jury member Glenn Murcutt, a winner of architecture’s highest award, the Pritzker Prize, hailed the winning design as “brilliant” and “a superb solution”.

An innovative below ground vision has been chosen by the City of Sydney as the winner of the international design competition for the new Green Square Library and plaza.

A jury of leading Australian and international architects unanimously chose the entry from Stewart Hollenstein with Colin Stewart Architects as the winner praising it as “by far the most interesting and stimulating” of more than 160 received.

Jury member Glenn Murcutt, a winner of architecture’s highest award, the Pritzker Prize, hailed the winning design as “brilliant” and “a superb solution”.

“You have got dynamite, it’s fantastic…it has the potential to be one of the most exciting places to be in Sydney,” he said.

The community will continue to be involved in the development of the design for the Green Square Library & Plaza.

An innovative below ground vision has been chosen by the City of Sydney as the winner of the international design competition for the new Green Square Library and plaza.

A jury of leading Australian and international architects unanimously chose the entry from Stewart Hollenstein with Colin Stewart Architects as the winner praising it as “by far the most interesting and stimulating” of more than 160 received.

Jury member Glenn Murcutt, a winner of architecture’s highest award, the Pritzker Prize, hailed the winning design as “brilliant” and “a superb solution”.

“You have got dynamite, it’s fantastic…it has the potential to be one of the most exciting places to be in Sydney,” he said.

Multi-award-winning Victorian architect John Denton, who chaired the jury, said the scheme with a library below ground and an inviting open plaza above was “absolutely world class” and would see the project become “a beacon and an oasis” for the whole Green Square community.

Sydney architect Felicity Stewart was delighted she and her colleague from university days, Matt Hollenstein, had won.

“We are absolutely thrilled and the nicest part is that this is a concept we are absolutely passionate about because it puts people above everything,” Ms Stewart said.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore described the winning design by the young Sydney architects as “an inspired and unconventional vision for a new library that will become the heart of the growing community at Green Square.”

“This is a big day in the history of Green Square. The City is proud to be one of the few organisations in Australia to conduct open architecture competitions and to build those winning designs.

“Our competition winners, Felicity Stewart and Matthias Hollenstein, describe the library and plaza as a “community living room”. Their plans include an amphitheatre, a sunken storytelling garden and even music rooms where residents can practice their instruments without disturbing neighbours.

“Mobile furniture will allow for impromptu concerts, a tower for movie projections, and a water play area will keep children cool in summer.

“A giant glass wedge will sit above the library, with a grassed tramway and wide open spaces for festivals alongside. What a wonderful vision of community!”

The jury said the project would shape Green Square’s character and instead of having a library used only as a quiet retreat for reading books, the modern library would appeal to all residents and become “a gateway to knowledge and a hub of community activity”.

Green Square is Australia’s biggest urban development located four kilometres south of Sydney Central that will have at its core the 14-hectare Green Square Town Centre.

The City has allocated $25 million for the library works, and a further $15 million for the public domain and plaza. Refinement of the design will continue this year and work will begin when ownership of the site is transferred to the City and then remediated, with construction likely to finish in 2017.

The winning design for the Green Square Library and Plaza competition will be displayed at the Tote Building, 100 Joynton Avenue, Zetland, and online at www.greensquarelibrary.com.au.

Australian architects have reaffirmed their world class credentials with four of the five short-listed designs in the Green Square Library and Plaza design competition being home grown.

The top five designs hail from architects in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Fremantle, joining a firm from England’s West Midlands. They were drawn from the 168 entries that poured in from 29 countries and from around the nation.

The five finalists and their designs are (they can be viewed in the online library):

Australian architects have reaffirmed their world class credentials with four of the five short-listed designs in the Green Square Library and Plaza design competition being home grown.

The top five designs hail from architects in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Fremantle, joining a firm from England’s West Midlands. They were drawn from the 168 entries that poured in from 29 countries and from around the nation.

The five finalists and their designs are (they can be viewed in the online library):

Sydney: Stewart Hollenstein in association with Colin Stewart (entry #124) This design sees the space as an ‘urban living room’ with activities distributed across a field of inside and outside spaces, e.g. storytelling in the garden, rolling hills and a sunken garden for reading and relaxing

Adelaide: JPE Design Studio (entry #171) Community gathering points in a plaza with terraced water features are an outdoor focal point, while the library interior features a dynamic and engaging community area and stimulating spaces;

England: Flannery & de la Pole (entry #195) Proposed library has high thermal mass and natural ventilation in which public facilities are concentrated on a tall and transparent entrance level. Outside areas include long performance porch, a canopied community space and children’s soft play surface; and

Fremantle: Felix Laboratories (entry #197) Rolling landforms planted with local vegetation form a Sydney landscape of architectural forms which include the library building, a playground, reading room, game space learning surface, as well as water sculptures and a stream running through the site.

Australian architects have reaffirmed their world class credentials with four of the five short-listed designs in the Green Square Library and Plaza design competition being home grown.

The top five designs hail from architects in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Fremantle, joining a firm from England’s West Midlands. They were drawn from the 168 entries that poured in from 29 countries and from around the nation.

The five finalists and their designs are (they can be viewed in the online library):

Sydney: Stewart Hollenstein in association with Colin Stewart (entry #124) This design sees the space as an ‘urban living room’ with activities distributed across a field of inside and outside spaces, e.g. storytelling in the garden, rolling hills and a sunken garden for reading and relaxing

Adelaide: JPE Design Studio (entry #171) Community gathering points in a plaza with terraced water features are an outdoor focal point, while the library interior features a dynamic and engaging community area and stimulating spaces;

England: Flannery & de la Pole (entry #195) Proposed library has high thermal mass and natural ventilation in which public facilities are concentrated on a tall and transparent entrance level. Outside areas include long performance porch, a canopied community space and children’s soft play surface; and

Fremantle: Felix Laboratories (entry #197) Rolling landforms planted with local vegetation form a Sydney landscape of architectural forms which include the library building, a playground, reading room, game space learning surface, as well as water sculptures and a stream running through the site.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the international judging panel, the quality of the entries and the fact they came from around the globe reaffirmed Sydney’s global city standing.

“Our Green Square Library and Plaza competition made world headlines, attracting local and international architects from Asia, Europe, the United Kingdom, US and South America as well as from around Australia,” the Lord Mayor said.

“This competition caught the imagination of local and overseas architects and the selection of four Australians among the five finalists shows our local firms are among those at the top of their game in the sector.

“We invited architects to take part in this prestigious opportunity to put the Green Square development on the architectural map, and our call-out resulted in a massive array of designs from an internationally renowned set of professionals.

“Our panel of distinguished architects and experts in their field debated long and hard for three days to select the five finalists from the 168 entries.

“This week we flew in the finalists to tour the Green Square site and prepare for the next exciting phase, when they spend six weeks making more detailed plans to be presented to the jury and assessed by City experts on pricing and construction.”

The Lord Mayor will unveil the short-listed designs to the local community at the inaugural annual Green Square Community Fair, from 11am today at Tote Park.

The library and community centre will be part of the commercial, retail and cultural heart of the $8 billion greater Green Square development on the city’s southern fringe that is expected to accommodate an additional 6,800 residents and 8,600 workers.

“We invited Australian and international architects to create an iconic architectural centrepiece for Green Square and the people of South Sydney, and we’re delighted with the response,” the Lord Mayor said.

“We asked for a beautiful, functional and sustainable design that would attract people to the Green Square Town Centre for a range of cultural activities.

“The final five will now be under the microscope for the remainder of the year, with the City expected to announce the winning entry in early 2013.

“I hope the winning entry will go on to achieve further recognition and design accolades like an increasing number of the City’s buildings, such as the Surry Hills Library, which is a much-loved community centre.”

The City of Sydney has invited local and international architects to take part in the design of a new library building and plaza for the Green Square Town Centre development.

The library and community centre, to be located around Green Square Railway Station, will be part of the commercial, retail and cultural heart of the $8 billion development, - a new village hub in the City's south that is expected to accommodate about 40,000 residents by 2031 and 22,000 workers.

The City has set aside $25 million for the 3000-square-metre library, which will house a customer service centre,... Continue reading

The City of Sydney has invited local and international architects to take part in the design of a new library building and plaza for the Green Square Town Centre development.

The library and community centre, to be located around Green Square Railway Station, will be part of the commercial, retail and cultural heart of the $8 billion development, - a new village hub in the City's south that is expected to accommodate about 40,000 residents by 2031 and 22,000 workers.

The City has set aside $25 million for the 3000-square-metre library, which will house a customer service centre, community meeting rooms, commercial kitchen and an arts and crafts space, and a further $15 million for public space and the plaza.

The City of Sydney has invited local and international architects to take part in the design of a new library building and plaza for the Green Square Town Centre development.

The library and community centre, to be located around Green Square Railway Station, will be part of the commercial, retail and cultural heart of the $8 billion development, - a new village hub in the City's south that is expected to accommodate about 40,000 residents by 2031 and 22,000 workers.

The City has set aside $25 million for the 3000-square-metre library, which will house a customer service centre, community meeting rooms, commercial kitchen and an arts and crafts space, and a further $15 million for public space and the plaza.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the chance to draw the plans for the landmark Green Square Town Centre Library and Plaza was a rare opportunity for architects - local and beyond - wanting to work with the City as a leader in design excellence and sustainable buildings.

"City of Sydney projects are world renowned for design excellence, innovation and environmental sustainability," said Lord Mayor Clover Moore.

"The Surry Hills building won the Best New Global Design at last year's International Architecture Awards in Chicago, as well as many Australian awards for design, construction and sustainability. It's something we're all extremely proud about.

"We hope architects from around Sydney, Australia and the world will be inspired to work with the City of Sydney and the local community on our new Green Square project.

"We want to create a place which forms an important part of the local community. The space should pay careful attention to safety, seating, climate and circulation - but the rest is up to the vision and creativity of the architect."

The design competition will be held in two stages and follow the Australian Institute of Architects Guidelines for Architectural Competitions.

The closing date for stage one of the competition will be 21 August 2012, giving entrants eight weeks to prepare and submit their preliminary concepts.

A panel of designers, architects and cultural experts will short-list the entries, giving the selected architects six weeks to prepare detailed submissions. A cost planner will assess all short-listed entries.

All stage one and two entries will be placed on public display, with comments invited from the community and interest groups and put to the "jury" for consideration.

The City will announce the winning design early next year, and expects a development application for the library and plaza to be lodged by mid-next year, with completion of the project by early 2016.